King's Passing Leaves A Void

February 7, 2006|By Gregory Lewis Staff Writer

Black women occupy the position of U.S. Secretary of State, have gone into outer space, and fill top corporate executive jobs, but the passing of role models like Coretta Scott King still leaves a void in black leadership.

Her burial today caps the losses of several black women leaders in the last year: Rosa Parks, C. Delores Tucker, Shirley Chisholm and Constance Baker Motley.

"The passing of our living inspirations and icons is a call to action,'' said Deana Holiday, president-elect of the T.J. Reddick Bar Association.

"We can no longer solely stand on their shoulders,'' she said. "Women are still undervalued for our services. We still struggle for equal pay for equal work.''

Services for Mrs. King will be today at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., near Atlanta.

South Florida women Monday talked about the void Mrs. King leaves, despite the inroads black women have made.

This month, Black Enterprise magazine boasts a cover story on the 50 most powerful black women in corporations. Led by billionaire Oprah Winfrey, the list also includes African-American women like Cathy Hughes, who has the largest black-owned broadcast company in the nation, and Carol Williams, who runs an advertising agency that had $350 million in billings last year.

Mrs. King and her peers blazed trails for black women such as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Astronaut Mae Jemison explored outer space. Mrs. King and the black freedom-fighters of her generation could not have dreamed of a woman, much less a black women, in those positions during their time.

But still they inspired women who came after them to go where black women had not gone before, said Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami.

"All of those women would say they stand on the shoulders of Mrs. King,'' said Shalala, a Lebanese-American. "So do the rest of us, not just women of color.''

"I don't know anyone to compare her to, as much as I love Maya Angelou,'' she said. "I marched with her husband. She was someone in my life I could identify with. I hugged her, touched her. It's different when you read about someone in a textbook. I knew her.''

Mrs. King was one of the women called "the three widows," along with the wives of slain civil rights leaders Malcolm X and Medger Evers. Malcolm X's widow, Betty Shabazz, died in 1997. Merlie Evers Williams is the last survivor.

Those women, and others who were overlooked but played important roles in the freedom movement, created opportunities for others they would never have for themselves, especially in corporate America. They addressed black issues, but did not reap the benefits.

"But I'm not certain that anyone is stepping into the void they've left,'' said Webster, "and that's a little sad.''

Webster said celebrating black success is important, but so is the need to continue Mrs. King's work.

"It's not about the few black women and black men who made significant gains,'' said State Sen. Mandy Dawson of Fort Lauderdale. "It's about the masses. Until they can lay claim, it's just window dressing.''

Gregory Lewis can be reached at glewis@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4203